A Study for Sherlock

In the opening scenes of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s first Sherlock Holmes novel, A Study in Scarlet (written in Portsmouth), Holmes and Dr Watson go to view some lodgings at 221B Baker Street.

'They consisted of a couple of comfortable bedrooms and a single large airy sitting-room, cheerfully furnished and illuminated by two broad windows. So desirable in every way were the apartments, and so moderate did the terms seem when divided between us, that the bargain was concluded upon the spot, and we at once entered into possession…That done, we gradually began to settle down and to accommodate ourselves to our new surroundings.'

And settle they did. This address was to stay unchanged through all the many stories about Doyle’s extraordinary detective. And the sitting-room became Holmes’s laboratory and study, the centre of his investigations.
 
As part of the Sharing Sherlock project Portsmouth MIND group designed, built and painted their own personal version of this most famous of imaginary places, the study of Sherlock Holmes and his fellow detective, Dr Watson. To accompany their display, they selected a variety of objects on the same theme.

The Exhibition display stand and Exhibits

The exhibition stand displaying items from the Conan Doyle Collection.

Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson illustration

A black and white illustration, by Sidney Paget, of Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson in Sherlock's study.

A Map of Great Britain

A map which hung on the wall of Sherlock Holmes' study.

The original study

A photo of Sherlock Holmes' study at 221B Baker Street - on which Portsmouth Mind based their creation.

Creating a facsimile version

The end result

To see more images and find out more about the collection, email: sherlock.holmes@portsmouthcc.gov.uk